Carding apparatus



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CARDING APPARATUS original Filed June e, 1955 11 sheetsshee*b a Nov. 3,1959 E. CLARK CARDING APPARATUS 1l Sheets-Sheet 9 Original Filed June 6,1955 r//sa CARDING APPARATUS Nov. 3, 1959 E. CLARK CARDING APPARATUSOriginal Filed June 6. 1955 l1 Sheets-Sheet 11 United States Patent()CARDING APPARATUS Ernest Clark, Quincy, Mass., assignor to AbingtonTex;I tile Machinery Works, Abington, Mass., a. trust `of MassachusettsOriginal application June 6, 1955, Serial No. 513,547.` Divided and thisapplication March 24, 1958, Serial No. 723,534 A 1'1 Claims. (Cl.19-109) The present invention relates to carding machines and methods,especially carding machines and methods for carding cotton stock,

In cotton carding machine operation, it is necessary to stop productivecarding at relatively frequent `intervals in order that the cylindersmay be stripped or cleaned. According to the customary method now usedcommercially, when stripping is required, the feed is thrown outmanually and the calender rolls are stopped. The continuous rotation ofthe doffer cylinder breaks the web between the dofer comb and thecalender rolls. The doifer cylinder and card cylinder are then stripped,usually by pneumatic means. Thereafter -the feed Vis restored. Asubstantial time is required after the feed is restored for the fibersto build up suliciently on the doffer cylinder to be removed as asatisfactory Web by the comb. When the fibers eventually build up to aweb of satisfactory weight or thickness, the operator must piece the newweb being removed from the dotter cylinder to the broken end of the oldone. This operation calls for considerable skill and judgment by theoperator and in any event it is unsatisfactory and costly because a webportion of excess weight is formed at the area or locality where thepiecing operation takes place. Besides being over weight at the areawhere the new and old webs are joined, the fibers of the new and oldwebs frequently are not intimately intermingled sufficiently to form asecure and continuous .bond between the new and old webs andconsequently breakage is apt to occur at this area during subsequentprocesses. Furthermore, the necessity of `joining the old and new websby hand is time consuming and limits the number of cards which can bewatched and operated by an operator,

In U.S. Patent No. 2,376,661 an apparatus is described for use with aconventional carding machine with a conventional oscillating doffercomb. rIn this apparatus, the newly formed web is automatically piecedto Vthe broken end of the old web on resumption of .carding operation,whereby a continuous web is formed. The broken end of the old web is'held by the stationary comb during the stripping operation. Inorder todo this it is necessary that the comb bestopped at yits lowermostposition prior to commencing the stripping operation. When the comb isin such a position, .thefold :web is held satisfactorily, but after thestripping `operation is completed and the stock begins to build up onthe doifer cylinder before operation of the ,comb is resumed, the stockbuilt up on the doi'rer frequently catches-0n .the comb. .After thestock is sufciently built up and .the comb starts its oscillation, thebers which are `so Acaught on the comb producerelativelythick portionsin ,theiinal rice menoing the stripping operation, complicated andrelativelyvexpensive machinery and parts are required which are verydifficult to maintain and to properly operate. A manual operation isrequired not onlyA rto intitiate the stripping operation but also tostart up the carding machine -after the stripping operation iscompleted.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and methodin which the web newly formed on resumption of the carding operationafter stripping is automatically pieced to the end of the old web toform a bond therebetween which is as strong as any other part of theweb, in which the formation of thick portions is avoided, in which theformation of neps is avoided, in which the complicated equipmentrequired to cause the oscillating comb to stop at its lowermost positionis `avoided and in which once the stripping operation is initiated, such`operation is completed and the normal carding operation is resumedautomatically.

Another object is to provide an apparatus and method for removing cardedstock, especially cotton carded stock,` from a dotfer cylinder, whichavoids the use of a conventional doffer comb and which, when actuationthereof is initiated, automatically commences to remove carded stockfrom the doifer cylinder in the form of a satisfactory web.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved strippingdevice and method which assures proper stripping of all portions of thedoifer cylinder, and which v is provided; with Ia timing device whichautomatically web which extend overa number of inches `and whichpermitsstripping of the doffer cylinder by the dolfer nozzle forapredetermined time after the cylinder nozzle reaches the end of itstraverse, whereafter the stripper is automatically shut olf.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel timing device 'forattachment to carding machine stripping devices.

Still another object is to provide an improved carding apparatus andmethod.

Other objects will be apparent from a consideration of the followingdescription and the `accompanying drawings.

In accordance with the present invention, rolling means, preferably apair of cooperating oppositely rotating take oif rolls, is provided toroll the carded stock off the doffer cylinder instead of a conventionalreciprocating or oscillating comb.

Means are provided for `stopping the rotation of the take oft rollsprior to each stripping operation and for holding such rolls stationaryduring such stripping operation while the dolfer and card cylinderscontinue to rot-ate. The lstationary 'take off rolls grip and holdstationary the web which was pulled olf the doer cylinder before therotation of the rolls was stopped, whereby the end of the thenstationary web is broken by the continued rotation of the doffercylinder. The end fibers of the broken end of the web are gripped andheld by the take otf rolls. The take olf rolls and doer cylinder are sodesigned `and located with respect to each other that thecircumferential distance between the operation of one of the rollsclosest to ,the doifer cylinder and. the portion of such roll closest tothe other of said rolls is `less than about V0.875` inch, which, in thecase of cotton stock, is Athe length of the shortest fibers which comethrough the carding operation and are .present in the card web insubstantially amounts. Most of the extremely short iibers are removedfrom `the stock during carding and do not come through the cardingoperation tothe dolfer. Preferably such circumferential distance `is notgreater than about 0.8054 inch.

Means are also provided for stopping the rotation of the calender rollsand feed at the same time that `the take off rolls are stopped so thatduring stripping the old web isheld stationary between the take off andcalender 3 rolls and the feed does not feed stock to the lickerin andcard cylinder.

Means are also provided to automatically actuate the feed when theshipping operation reaches or nears completion but not to actuate thetake off rolls and calender rolls until a sufficient time has elapsedafter the feed is actuated to permit fibers to be built up on the doflercylinder to the required weight, after which the take off and calenderrolls are automatically actuated. The delay between the actuation of thefeed and the actuation of the take off and calender rolls is broughtabout by a timing mechanism which is automatically activated at the sametime as the activation of the feed and which, within a predeterminedtime after being activated, automatically actuates the take off andcalender rolls. Such timing mechanism delays actuation of the take onrolls and calender rolls after actuation of the feed until the doffercylinder has made a predetermined number of revolutions, at which timethe carded stock has built up sufficiently on the doifer cylinder sothat it can be removed as a web of satisfactory weight and thickness. Atthe conclusion of the timing cycle the take off rolls are automaticallyactuated by the timing mechanism and when so actuated, roll or peel olffrom the doffer cylinder carded stock together with the end bers of thebroken web as a continuous web of substantially uniform weight.

Means are provided to automatically actuate another timing mechanismwhen the stripper nears or reaches the end of its traverse which permitsthe end of the doffer cylinder to be stripped for a predetermined timeafter the card cylinder nozzle of the stripper has reached the end ofits traverse, whereafter the stripper is automatically shut off.

Other features of the invention consist of certain novel features ofconstruction, combinations and arrangements of parts and certain methodswhich will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon considerationof the following description and the accompanying drawings:

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a right side elevation of a portion of a carding machineembodying the present invention with the apparatus of the presentinvention attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the stripper device of Fig. 1 in theposition which it occupies at the end of its traverse during a strippingoperation; v

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1, the position ofthe stripper and control mechanism at the commencement of a strippingoperation, when the feed rolls, calender rolls, and take off rolls aredeactuated, being shown in full lines and the position thereof at thecompletion of the stripping operation when the feed rolls, calenderrolls and take off rolls are operably engaged and the carding machine isin normal operation, being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front elevation of the take oif rolls, take oftroll Wipers, and bracket assemblies for supporting the same;

Fig. 5 is a view taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged front elevation partially in section of thebracket assembly of Fig. 5 showing a part of the wipers and take offrolls;

Fig. 7 is a section taken along the line 7 7 of Fig. 6 With bolt 47removed and showing the bracket assembly for the upper take off roll andupper and lower wipers;

Fig. 8 is a view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 6 showing the arms forsupporting the wipers for the take olf rolls;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view partially in section of the front part of theapparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a section taken along the lines 10-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a section taken along the lines 11-11 of Fig. 4 during normalcarding operation;

Fig. 12 is the same as Fig. 11, after the take olf rolls have beenstopped but before the dotfer cylinder has been stripped;

Fig. 13 is the same as Fig. 12, after the doifer cylinder has beenstripped but before the feed has been actuated;

Fig. 14 is a left side elevation showing the disengaging gear andcontrol for disengaging the dolfer cylinder gear from the calender andtake olf rolls;

Fig. l5 is a top plan view, partially in section, of the left side ofthe apparatus, showing the disengaging gear for disengaging the doffercylinder gear from the gears of the calender rolls and take olf rolls;

Fig. 16 is a section taken along the lines 16-16 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a plan view of the control and timing mechanism, while thefeed drive as well as the take off rolls and calender rolls aredisengaged from driving connection with the dolfer drive. This figureshows the position of the parts of the timing mechanism when the controllinkage is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3;

Fig. 18 is a view taken along the lines 18-18 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 is a view taken along the lines 19-19 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 20 is a view taken along the lines 20-20 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 21 is similar to Fig. 18 except that the dotfer drive is engagedwith the feed mechanism and the timing mechanism has been activated, butthe take off and calender rolls are still disengaged;

Fig. 22 is a section taken along the lines '22--22 of Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is a view similar to Fig. 21 showing only the timing mechanismwhen in a neutral position with the feed mechansim, the take off rollsand calender rolls all engaged. VThis figure shows the position of theparts of the timing mechanism during normal carding operation and whilethe control linkage is in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3;

Fig. 24 is an enlarged front view of the feed throw-in rod of Fig. 3showing in detail the throw-in rod and throw-in rod actuating latch ofthe stripper in full lines while the rod is being moved axially to theleft, as viewed in the figure, by the movement of the stripper from oneof its limits of movement in which the feed, take off and calender rollsare deactuated and which is shown in full lines in Fig. 3, toward theother of its limits of movement in which the feed rolls and timingmechanism are actuated and which is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, andshowing in dotted lines the rod and latch when said rod has reached itsother limit and the latch is deactuated;

Fig. 25 is a section taken along the lines 25-'25 of y Fig. 24;

Fig. 26 is like Fig. 24 showing the latch of the stripper riding overthe latch engaging portion of the feed throwin rod, which occurs whenthe stripper is moved from the position to which it was moved during apreceding stripping operation, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 to thestripping position, shown in full lines in Fig. 3, while the. latchengaging portion of the rod is in the position shown;

Fig. 27 is an enlarged section taken along the lines 27--27 of Fig. 3with portions of the supporting structure cut away;

Fig. 28 is a section taken along the lines 28-28 of Fig. 27; y

Fig. 29 is an enlarged top view of the stripper of Fig. 3 showing thevacuum timing and valve mechanism of the present invention, with thevalve shut while the carding machine is in operation land the stripperis not being operated;

Fig. 30 is a view similar to Fig. 29 with a portion of the top of thevacuum timing and valve mechanism cut tion and before' the vacuum timingmechanism has been actuated;

Fig. 31 isaview similartobFg. 30 when the stripper has reached the endof its traverse and the valve is held open by the suction cup and thetiming mechanism has been actuated;

Fig. 32 is an enlarged section along the lines 32-32 of Fig. 30. l

In the drawings the apparatus of the present invention is shown :appliedto a Whitn card for carding cotton stock. The `card itself is ofconventional form and comprises a conventional feeding mechanismincluding a conventional feed roll (not shown), followed by aconventional lickerein (not shown) followedA by a conventional cardcylinder (Fig. 1) having conventional flats on top (not shown) followedby a conventional doiTer cylinder 12 having a doifer cylinder cover 13.Two take ofi rolls 14 and 15 are provided for taking the card stock oifthe doifer cylinder 12. Rolls 14 and 15 are followed by a conventionaltrumpet 16 which is followed by two conventional calender rolls 17 and18 from which the sliver passes in `a conventional manner into aconventional sliver can (not shown). The doffer cylinder 12 is driventhrough gears and belts from the licker-in, the licker-in in turn beingdriven from the cylinder 10 by a belt (not shown) and lthe card cylinderin turn being driven from a motor (not shown) or other drive means, allof which is conventional. The doer shaft 19 drives through miter gears20 and 21, the feed shaft 22, which, through conventional beveled gears(not shown) drives the feed roll (not shown) in a conventional manner.The doier gear 23 (Fig.,14) of doffer 12, through a disengaging gear 24(rotatably mounted on bushing 9@ which is mounted on threaded shaft 91,which is in turn mounted on frame 36a) and an idler gear 25 (rotatablymounted on frame 36a), drives the calender roll gear 26 (Fig. 14), whichin turn, through a shaft 27 (Figs. 9 and 14) drives sprocket gear 28,which through chain drive 29 and chaintightener 29a (mounted on abracket 29h (Fig. l0) and comprising an idler sprocket 29e adapted to bemoved to and xed in different positions along slot 29d of bracket 29h),drives a sprocket 3i? attached to one end 31 of the lower take oi rollwhereby such lower take olf roll is rotated. The other end 31 (Fig. 4)of roll 15 lis provided with a gear 32 which drives upper roll 14through gear 34 which is attached to one end 33 of upper roll 14. Gears32 and 34 are housed in housing 32a. Calender shaft 27 is rot-atablysupported at its ends in brackets 35 `on frame 36b, drives calender roll17 and is provided with a conventional protective tube 37a- (Figs. 9 and10). Upper calender roll 1S is rotatably supported by the ends of shaft18C in the slots 18a of brackets 18b which are attached to frame 36b andis driven by its own weight resting on lower calender roll 17. Gear 24rotates around the outer surface of bushing 90 (Figs. 9 and 15) and maybe selectively disengaged from and engaged with doifer gear 23 byrotation of bushing 92 which, through screw 110, rotates bus-hing 99,which, through pin `90a extending into the threads in shaft 91, causesbushing 90 and gear 24 to move outwardly and inwardly with relation toshaft 91 and gear 23 to respectively disengagefand engage gear 24 fromand with gear 23.

Locatedion shaft 22 (Fig. v17)V adjacent gear 21 is an eccentricbush 94like that described in U.S. Patent No. 2,376,661 and provided with acontrol handle 95 which when pulled in one direction rotates theeccentricbush 94 to cause movement of feed shaft 22 laterally outwardlyfrom gear 20, whereby gear 21 is disconnected or thrown out ofengagement with gear and the feed roll is deactuated.

The end portions 31 of lower take off roll 15 are supported in the slots38 of a pair of slotted lower roll brackets 39 (Figs. 1 to 9, especiallyFigs. 5 to 8) which `are adjustably attached to main frame 36.by meansof 6 slots 37 in brackets'39 and bolts 40` so that the lowerjroll 15 canbe moved -away from and toward the dofler cylinder 12. The end portions31 of roll 15 extend inwardly into portions 41 (Figs. 4 and 6) which areof a greater diameter than portions 31 and on which are rotatablymounted, by means of apertures 33a, a pair of slotted top roll brackets42, in the slots 43 (Figs. 5 and 7) of which are supported the ends 33of top roll 14. End portions 33 of roll 14 are of lesser diameter thanthe remainder of roll 14 and form with the remainder of roll 14shoulders 45 which prevent longitudinal movement of top roll 14 withrespect to top roll supporting brackets 42. Lower widened wing portions45a. of brackets 42 are provided with slots 46, which together withbolts 47 which pass through slots 46 and which screw into wing portions48 of lower roll brackets 39, permit top brackets 42 to be rotated orswung on portions 41 of lower roll 15 to adjust the position of roll 14away from doier 12 and around lower roll 15. Top roll brackets 42 can belocked in such position by tightening bolts 47. Adjustably supported onledges 42a of brackets 42 by means of bolts 50 and slots 51 are a pairof upper wiper support brackets 52 (Figs. 5 to 8) having apertures 53 inwhich are rotatably supported the circular ends 54 of an upper hexagonalrod 55 having adjustably mounted thereon by means of slots 56 and bolts57 an upper roll wiper 58 which comprises a rectangular thin piece offlexible metal, the lower edge of which is resiliently urged against thetop roll 14 by means of upper tension members 59 mounted rigidly andadjustably on the reduced diameter ends 54 of upper hexagonal rod 55inwardly of upper wiper supporting brackets 52 by means of apertures 59aand set screws 60 in threaded holes 60a (Figs. 5 to 8) and having arms61 to the ends of which are attached the ends of springs 62, the otherends of which springs are attached to similar arms 63 of lower tensionmembers 64 which are rigidly and adjustably mounted by means ofapertures 65, set screws 66 and threaded holes 66a (see Figs. 4 `and 5to 8) on the circular ends 67 of a lower hexagonal rod 68 to which isadjustably attached by means of slots 69 and bolts 70 a lower wiper 71similar in construction to upper Wiper 58 and the upper edge of whichWipes Ithe lower roll 15 and is resiliently urged thereagainst by meansof springs 62. The circular ends 67 of lower hexagonal rod 68 arerotatably supported in apertures 72a of lower wiper support brackets 72,which are adjustably mounted on ledges 72b of the upper roll brackets 42by means of slots 73 in brackets 72 and bolts 74. Springs 62 areattached to arms 61 by means of hooks 75, the shanks 75a of which passthrough apertures in the ends of arms 61 and have screwed onthefthreaded ends thereof wing nuts 76. The other ends of springs 62 areattached to the arms 63 by means of hooks 77 which are attached to thelower farms 63 by means of nuts 78 screwed on threaded Shanks 77a ofVhooks 77 extending through apertures in lower arms 63. It is apparentthat the pressure of fthe upper and lower wipers 55 and 71 against upperand lower rolls 14 and 15 respectively can be adjusted by tightening orloosening wing nuts 76.

It is apparent that by means of slots 56 and 69 and bolts 57 and 70 andby means of set screws 60 and 66, the location of the wipers 58 and 71with respect to rolls 14 and 15 can be adjusted so that the wiping edgesof such wipers contact different portionsl of Ithe roll at diiferentangles and the force asserted by such edges at any particular angle canbe adjusted by means of wing nuts 76 and set screws 60 and 66. Furtheradjustment of the wiping edges of the wipers 58 and 71 away from andtoward their respective rolls is made possible by slots 51 and 73 inupper and lower wiper supporting brackets 52 and 72 respectively andbolts 50 and 74. Enlarged portions 41 of roll 15 extend inwardly intothek roll 15 proper which is of greater diameter than portions 41 andwhichuform therewith shoulders 80,

Y Lower roll brackets 39 prevent longitudinal movement of brackets 42.

.. The operation of throwing out the feed (by disengaging gears 20 and21 through movement of handle 95 as hereinbefore and hereafterdescribed) throws disengaging gear 24 out of engagement with doter gear23 (see Fig. 14) whereby calender roll gear 26 and take oit roll gear 30are no longer rotated and take off rolls 14 and 15 and calender rolls 17and 18 are deactuated. The portion of the web which is located betweencalender rolls 17 and 18 and take ioi rolls 14 and 15, when these rollsare stopped by disengagement of gear 24 from gear 23, is gripped andheld stationary by such rolls, as shown in Fig. 12, while the doifercontinues to rotate. The dotfer and card cylinders are now ready to bestripped. After completion of the stripping operation as describedhereafter, the feed is automatically restored by reengagement of gears20 and 21, but resumption of the operation of the take off rolls 14 and15 and calender rolls 17 and 18 by reengagement of gear 24 with gear 23is delayed until the bers have built up on the dotfer cylinder to aproper weight. This delay is preferably accomplished by a Itimingmechanism to be described hereafter and which is described in U.S.Patent No. 2,376,661. When the operation of the take off rolls andcalender rolls is restored by reengagement Yof gear 23 with gear 24 thefibers initially removed from the dotfer automatically piece onto theend of the old web held between take off rolls 14 and 15 and calenderrolls 17 and 18. n

Referring to Figs. 1, 3, 9, 10, 14 and 15 and 17 to 23, the eccentricbush 94 mounted on shaft 22 (Figs. 17, 22) is rotatably mounted inaperture 94b in bracket 94a which extends from main frame 36. A slot 95ais provided in frame 94a to permit turning movement of handle 95 whichis attached to bush 94 by means of screw `95h (Fig. 22) so that turningof such handle rotates eccentric bush 94. Eccentric bush 94 carries athrow collar `96 having a pin 97 which normally engages a pin 98 on apulley `99 mounted loosely on bush 94 for rotation therearound. Pins 97and 98 constitute a pin clutch through which rotation of collar 96 inone direction (counter-clockwise as viewed in Figs. 17 and 20) byrotation of bush 94 drives and rotates pulley 99 but rotation of collar96 in the other direction (clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 19 and 23) doesnot drive pulley 99, but rather in such case, pin 97 moves away from pin93. Connected to pulley 99 is a `flexible strap or chain 100 which issecured at its other end to apulley 101 (Figs. 18, 20, 21 and 22). Thepulley 101 turns on a shaft 102 which is mounted on portion 1020: ofbracket- 173 which is mounted on lmain frame 36 by means of bolts 174.Pulley 1 01 is rigidly attached to pulley 102b which rotates with pulley101 and which drives in a counter-clockwise direction (as Viewed inFigs. 18, 19 and 23) through pin clutch 103, a pulley 104 also rotatablymounted on the shaft 102. Pulley 104 is connected by a chain pull 105with a counter weighted arm 1,06 (Figs. 1, 3 and 14), which has acounterweight 10661 attached thereto and which is itself attached to ashaft 107 (see'Figs. l and 3) which is rotatably mounted in brackets107a ywhich yare mounted on the main frame 36. Shaft- 107 extends acrossthe machine to the pulley 108which is mounted'on such shaft and whichhas a cable 109connected with the bushing 92 of the disengaging gear 24(see Figs. 14. and 15). Bushing 92 is fixed to bushing 90 by means ofscrew'110 so that rotation of bushing 92 byfcable- 109 in one directionrotates bushing 90 in such direction to cause the latter, through pin90a and threaded shaft 91,v to move axially outwardly, thereby carryinggear 24y which is out of engagement with gear 23;. Gear 2 4 alwaysremains in engagement with idler gear 25. Rotationof'bushing 90 in anopposite direction by cable 109 causesL gear 24 to move axially inwardlyandreengage gear 23. Counterweight 10601 normally and during carding,maintains arm 106, shaft 107, pulley 108, cable 109, bushing 92and'bushing 90 in such a position that gear 24 is engaged with gear 23and at the same time Iasserts a pullon pulley 99, through chain pull105, pulley 104, pin clutch 103, pulley 101 and chain 100,v to causesuch pulley `9,9 to normally be positioned at the limit of its clockwisedirection, as viewed in Figs. 19 and 23, and as shown in Fig. 23 withpin 93 abutting against pin 97, when collar 96 and bush 94 are in theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, which is the position they arein during normal carding operation.

Collar 96 is attached to eccentric 94 by means of ears 111 and screw 112(Figs. 17 and 19) so Vas to be adjustable around the eccentric 94 andhas a crank arm 13 to one end of which is pivotally attached by means ofpivot pin 113a a bent link 114, the other end of which is pivotallyattached by means of pin 114e to one end of a lever 115 which ispivotally mounted at an intermediate portion by means of bolt 116 to abracket 117 attached to the doifer shroud 11S. The other end of arm 115is pivotally attached by means of pivot pin 119 to a collar 119eradjustably attached to the end portion of a throw out rod 120, which ismounted for axial movement on stripper traverse brackets 121 (Fig. 3) bymeans of apertures 12111 in such brackets which are greater in diameterthan the diameter `of the rod 120. Rod has attached thereto at apredetermined point intermediate its ends a latch lock 122 one end ofwhich forms a shoulder 123a, and the other end of which isfrusto-conical in shape at 124a. Rotation of handle 95 and consequentlyeccentric bush 94 from the position shown in full lines (Figs. 3) to theposition shown in dotted lines with consequent rotation of collar 96causes pivotal movement of link 114 and arm 115 from the position infull lines in Fig. 3 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3,which causes axial movement of rod 120 from thel position in full linesin Fig. 3 to the position shown in dotted lines. Rotation of handle 95in an opposite direction (from the position shown in dotted lines inFig. 3 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3) causes rod 120 tomove in an opposite direction (from the position shown in dotted linesback to the position shown in full lines). Furthermore, because of thelinkage connection shown, axial movement of rod 120 causes correspondingrotation of collar 96, eccentric bush 94 and handle 95, the direction ofrotation thereof being opposite when direction of axial movement of rod120 is reversed.

Supported on the stripper traverse brackets 121 is a conventionaltraverse tube 123 and screw 124 (Figc. 1, 3 and 27) supporting atraversing stripper nozzle 125 by means of a carriage 126 (Figs. 27 and28), which is adapted to be driven along tube 123 in a conventionalmanner through pawl 134 by the rotation of screw 124. Pawl 134 ispivotally mountedv on carriage 126 by means of pin 135v so as toprotrude through a longitudinal slot 126e at the bottom of tube 12.3 andinto the threads of feed screw 124. Pawl 134 is sobalanced on pin 135that the driving end thereof is normally in driving engagement withscrew thread 124. Lifting =of the opposite end 13441 (see Fig. 3),.ofpawl 134 either by hand or automatically by pin, 266 when the stripperreaches the'y end of its traverse, as shown in dotted linesin Fig. 3causes the driving end of pawl 134 to become disengaged from feed screw124. Stripper nozzle 125 is mounted on carriage 126by means of bracket127 (Figs. 1 and 27) which is attached to carriage 126 by means of.bolts 129 (Figs. 27 and 28) and which is attached to stripper nozzle 125by means of bolts 130. Bracket 127 has a groove 128 which runs alongvthe back. surface` thereof and which forms with flat surface 12855 of.carriagev 126, an aperture 128a. Slida'bly' received in aperture; 128a.is the shank 131 of a latch 132 also having a horizontal leg 133, thebottom of which, during normal carding operation rests upon, and duringmost of the stripping operation rests upon, and travels along rod 120 asshown in Figs. 24 to 26 and Figs. 27 and 28, due to the weight of latch132. Attached to the doier cover 13 in the path of the latch 132, bymeans of bolts 136, is a latch guide 137 having opposite sloped sides138 and a flat top surface 139, the leg 133 being adapted to ride up oneslope 138, along the top surface 139 and down the other slope 138 ofguide 137, as shown in Figs. 25 and 26, when latch 132 moving withstripper 125 reaches guide 137, thereby causing shank 131 to slideupwardly and downwardly in aperture 128a.

Feed screw 124, guide 137, rod 120, block 122 and stripper 125 are solocated that when stripper 125 is moved from the position shown in fulllines in Fig. 3 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, duringa stripping operation and by means of feed screw 124, leg 133 ridesalong the top of rod 120 until it contacts shoulder 123g of block 122,which is at that time in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3(where it was moved by throwing out handle 95 preparatory to a strippingoperation) whereafter, upon continued traverse of the stripper andthrough engagement with shoulder 123er, it moves rod 120 as shown inFigs. 24 and 25, aX- ially to the left. When leg 133 reaches the slopedsurface 13S of guide 137 it rides up slope 13S and out of contact withshoulder 123:1, along the top surface 139, as shown in dotted lines inFigs. 24 and 25, down the other slope 138 and continues along rod 120until the stripper reaches the end of its traverse, in which position itis shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. Because leg 133 is moved out ofcontact with shoulders 123e, rod 120 comes to rest in the position shownin dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 24, in which position the feed roll isactuated andthe timing mechanism for actuating the take off and calenderrolls is also actuated. In the event that the stripper is moved from theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 (where it is ordinarily locatedduring a carding operation and where it was moved to during a precedingstripping operation) to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3,preparatory to a stripping operation, and rod 120 has been previouslymoved to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and Fig. 26 bythrowing out handle 95, so that block 122 is in the position shown infull lines, leg 133 moves up the slope 124e of block 122 as shown inFig. 26, along the at top of block 122, downwardly to the position shownin Fig. 24 and finally to the position in which the stripper 125 isready for a stripping operation (position shown in full lines in Fig.3). Thus, slope 1245: of block 122 permits stripper 125 to be moved fromthe position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 to the position shown infull lines in Fig. 3 while the rod 120 is in the position shown in fulllines in Fig. 3, in which position the feed and take off and calenderrolls are deactuated.

Assuming that the carding machine shown in the drawings is in cardingoperation and it is desired to carry out a stripping operation, thehandle 95 is manually thrown outwardly from the position shown in dottedlines in Fig. 3, Where i-t is normally located during carding operation,to the position shown `in full lines in Fig. 3, to cause rotation ofeccentric bush 94 and collar 96, which causes link 114, arm 115 and rod129 to move from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, wherethey are normally located during carding operation, to the positionshown in full lines. The rotation of eccentric bush 94 also causes mitergear 21 to move away from and to be- Vcome disconnected from miter gear20, thereby deactuating the feed rolls. At the same time pulley 99, isrotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 18, 19 and23, through collar 96 and pin clutch 97 and 98 and against the pull ofvcounterweight 106g, thereby causing rotation of pulleys 101 and 104against the pull V Y10 of weight 106e, the Vlatter of which operates thechain pull which, through weighted arm 196, shaft 107, pulley 10S, chain109, and bushing 92 and against the pull of Weight 106g, moves bushing90 axially outwardly causing disengagement ofgear 24 from gear 23 andcalender rolls 17 and 1S and take off rolls 14 and 15 to stop rotating,as shown in Fig. 3. The train of gearing between gear 24 and take of andcalender rolls 14, 15 and 17 and 18 asserts a suflcient amount offriction to hold these rolls against rotation While gear 24 isdisengaged and doffer cylinder 12 continues to rotate. Pulley 99, chain100, pulley 101 and 104, arm 106, shaft 107, pulley 108, chain 109 andbushings 92 and 91? are automatically locked in this position, asdescribed hereafter until released, as described hereafter.

At this stage, with the various parts of the apparatus in the positionshown in full lines in Fig. 3, and with calender rolls 17 and 18 andtake off rolls 14 and 15 as well `as the feed roll stationary, but withthe doffer cylinder and carding cylinder continuing to rotate, thecarding machine is in condition for a stripping operation.

The stripping operation is initiated by manually moving stripper 125from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 where `it came to restduring a preceding stripping operation and `where it is normaiiypositioned during operation of the card, to the position shown in fulllines in Fig. 3. While doing this it is necessary' that the handle 134erof pawl 134 be held up by hand so that such pawl isV out of engagementwith the feed screw 124. During movement of stripper 125 as aforesaid,leg 133 rides along rod 120, up one sloped surface 13S of guide 137,along surface 139, down the other sioped surface 138, along rod 120, upthe sloped surface 124:1 of block 122, such block being in the position`shown in fuli lines in Fig. 3 where it was moved by throwing out handle9S, as aforesaid, along the top of block 122 down to rod 12d and along120. After the stripper is moved to the position in full lines in Fig.3, the pawl handle 134g is released and it engages feed screw 124,whereby stripper 125 is driven along tube 123 toward the position shownin dotted lines in Fig. 3 and strips the doifer and card cylinders bymeans of doffer cylinder nozzle 125b and card cylinder nozzle 125a. rTheinterior of the stripper is connected with a source of vacuum, asdescribed hereafter, at any time after the caiender, talte off and feedrolls are deactuated and prior to releasing the pawl. Meanwhile, thetaire off rolls and calender rolls as ywell as the feed roll remainstationary. As stripper 125 moves from the posi-tion shown in full linesin Fig. 3 toward the position shown in dotted lines, leg 133 firstslides along rod until it contacts shoulder 123e of block 122 asaforesaid.

. Thereafter funther movement of stripper causes latch 132 to move rod120 from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to the positionshown in dotted lin-es in Fig. 3, Whereafter leg 133 rides over theguide 137 out of Contact with block 122 as aforesaid and rod 120 ismoved no further. Thereafter, the stripper moves to the end of itstraverse to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 during whichtime leg 133 rides along rod 125.-

The above mentioned movement of rod 120 from the full line positionshown in Fig. 3 to the dotted line position causes rotation of collar 96through arm 115, link 114 and crank 113, -with resulting rotation ofeccentric 94 and handle 95 from the position shown in full lines in Fig.3 lto the position shown in dotted lines, which moves shaft 22 laterallyand causes miter gear 21 to mesh with gear 20, thereby actuating thefeed roll and a timing mechanism like that described :in US. Patent No.2,376,661 and shown in detail in Figs. 17 to 23, which timing mechanism,when sufficient time has elapsed after the feed roll is actuated toproduce a satisfactory build up of Ycard stock on the doifer cylinder,automatically causesgear 24 to engage gear 23 whereby vthe takeoff "I1rolls 14 and 15 and the calender rolls 17 and 18 are actuated.

Such timing mechanism (Figs. 17 to 23) comprises an eccentric cam 160mounted on the pulley 99 and having a latching shoulder 161. Eccentriccam 160 normally has resting thereupon a dog 162 secured by bolts 162ato an arm 163 pivotally attached at 163a to a bracket 173 attached tomain frame 36 by bolts 174. The arm 163 carries at its outer end arotatable timing gear 164 on a fixed shaft 1665: which timing gear 164carries a knock off member 165. The weight of arm 163 causes dog 162 -torest on cam 160. The end of knock oif member 165 extends beyond theperiphery of the timing gear 164 and normally engages a stop 166adjustably secured in a slot 167 in a portion of the arm 163. A torsionspring 168 urges the gear 164 into a direction to hold the knock offmember 165 against the stop 166. The entire timing mechanism issupported on bracket 173. Feed shaft 22 are in such a position thatgears 21 and 22 are 17 0 yand smaller idler gear 172 are rotatablymounted on opposite ends of shaft 171 lwhich is supported on bracket172g, which extends upwardly from bracket 173. Gear 170 is engaged bygear 169 when eccentric bush 94 and shaft 22 are in such a position thatgears 21 and 2 are engaged. When gears 21 and 22 are disengaged byrotation of eccentric bush 94 and handle 95 from the position shown indotted lines to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3,' gears 170and 169 become disengaged. Gear 172 engages timing gear 164 when cam 160is in the position shown in Fig. 17 and 18 so that arm 163 occupies theposition shown in these figures. However, when cam 160 is rotated in theposition shown in Fig. 23, arm 163 is cammed upwardly by cam 160 so thattiming gear 164 is held out of engagement with gear 172.

When, before initiation of a stripping operation, the handle 95 ismanually thrown out, as described above, to rotate eccentric bush 94 soas to disengage the feed, take off rolls and calender rolis, asaforesaid, eccentric cam 160 is rotated with pulley 99 to which it isrigidly attached, through pin clutch 97 and 98, against the pull ofweight 106a and in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 21from the position shown in Fig. 23, which it occupies during normalcarding operation, to the position shown in Fig. 2l so that the weightof arm 163 causes the dog 162 of arm 163 to drop and latch the shoulder161 of the eccentric cam 160 to lock pulley 99 (attached to cam 160) inthe position to which it is moved when handle 95 is thrown out (withgears 23 and 24 disengaged) against the pull asserted thereon by weight106g. At the same time, the lateral movement of shaft 22, which causesgear 21 to move away from gear 20, also causes gear 169 to move awayfrom and consequently become disengaged from the idler gear 170.Dropping of the arm 163, and dog 162, as aforesaid, causes the timinggear 164 to drop sufficiently to engage the small idler gear 172. Whilethe handle 95 is so thrown out and cam 96 and arm 163 are in suchposition, with the feed roll, take off rolls and calender rollsdeactuated, the timing gear 164 does not revolve because the miter gears20 and 21 are disconnected and also because the gears 169 and 170 aredisengaged. This is the position of the various parts of the timingmechanism during the major portion of the stripping operation.

When the rod y120 is moved by the stripper 125 during the strippingoperation, to the position shown in dotted lines and the eccentric bush94 and handle 95 are thereby moved through rotation of collar 96, asdescribed above, into an operative position so that gears 20 and 21become engaged as described and the feed roll is actuated, gears `169and 170 are at the same time moved into engagement to actuate the timermechanism. This rotation of eccentric bush 94 and collar 96 in aclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 19, causes pin 97 of collar 96 tomove away from pin 93 of pulley 99. Pulley 99 and cam 160 are notrotated in a clockwise direction by the action of weight 106a whenrotation of collar 96 moves pin 97 out of engagement with pin 98 becausethey are latched against rotation in a clockwise direction, as viewed inFig. 18, by dog 162. 1

Consequently, when, as aforesaid, movement of rod causes rotation ofbush 94 and engagement of gears 20 and 21 and gears 169 and 170 theeccentric 160 remains latched as shown in Fig. 21 so that pulley 99 islocked against rotation and consequently gear 24 remains disengaged fromgear 23, whereby operation of the take' olf and calender rolls is notimmediately resumed when the feed is restored. However, immediately uponengage-V ment of gears 169 and 170 and gears 20 and 21, the rotation ofthe feed shaft 22 causes, through gears 169, 170V and 172, rotation ofthe timing gear 164 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2l. Fig.21 shows the timing gear as it is so rotating'. After an intervaldetermined by the initial setting of the knockoff 165, which isdetermined by the position of stop pin 166 in slot 167, the be` velledend of knockoff 165 engages and rides upwardly on the surface of aroller 165a mounted on the end of the shaft 171. Engagement of knockoff165 with roller 165a and consequent upward movement of knockoff 165causes arm 163 to be lifted upwardly so that dog 162 is lifted out ofthe shoulder 161 of cam 160, whereby the downward pull of Weight 106:1,through pulley 99, chain `100, chain pulleys 99, 101 and 104, chain 105and arm 106 turns eccentric 160 in a clockwise direction as viewed inFig. 21 back to its original position, as shown in Fig. 23 with pin 97abutting pin 98. T he resulting movement of arm 106, through shaft 107,pulley 108, cable 109 and bushings 92 and 90, causes gear 24 to engagedoifer gear 23, whereby rotation of the calender rolls and the take olfrolls is actuated. fIt will be noted from Fig. 23 that the high pant ofthe cam engages the dog 162 after release of the latter and rotation ofcam 160 to the position shown in Fig. 23, thereby further lifting thearm 163 and maintaining it in such lifted position so that the timinggear `164 is disengaged from and is thereafter maintained out ofengagement with the gear 172. As soon as timing gear 164 is disengagedfrom gear 172, the timing gear 164 is turned in a counter-clockwisedirection as viewed in Fig. 21 by the spring 168 until the knockoff 165again engages the stop 166, as shown in Fig. 23. After gear 24 engagesgear 23 and the timing mechanism has completed its operation with theknockoff 165 returned to its neutral position, normal carding operationbegins and during such operation the timing mechanism remains in theposition shown in Fig. 23, until handle 95 is again thrown out. Collar160a, attached rigidly to the end of bush 94, locks the cam 160, pulley99 and collar 96 on bush 94. Hub 180 attached to the end of shaft 1711locks the roller 165a, gear 170 and gear 172 on shaft 171, the gear 169being pinned to the shaft 22 through its hub.

Stripper nozzle 125 (Figs. l, 27 and 29 to 32) is conventional exceptfor the particular type of latch 132 and bracket 127, as describedabove.

Attached to the vacuum outlet flange 200 by means of three bolts 204 isa vacuum timing device 201 comprising a pairrof superposed after flanges202 and 203 spaced apart from each other by means of spacers 205 aroundbolts 204 and having apertures 206 and 267 which are aligned with eachother and the vacuum outlet 206a of the stripper 125, as shown in Fig.27. Attached to the top plate 202 by means of the same bol-ts 204 andflange 208a is vacuum hose adapter 208, the upper circular end 209 ofwhich is adapted to be connected in an air-tight and conventional mannerwith the vacuum hose which leads to a source of vacuum (not shown) andthe passage 20811 of which is aligned with passages 206, 207 and 20611.Pivotally mounted to one of the bolts 204 between plates 202 and 203 isa dat valve member 210 having an aperture 212 (Figs. 29 to 31) in oneportion thereof, which is substantially the same size as the apertures206 13 and 207 of plates 202 and 203, and a solid valve closing portion211. Flat valve 210 is biased by means of spring 213 mounted on a bolt214 sotha-t normally, solid portion 211 is located between the apertures207 and 206 as shown in Figs. 27 and 29, whereby vacuum is cut olf fromthe interior of the stripper. Bolt 214 is mounted on the lower plate 203and has a slot 215 at the top thereof in which one end of spring 213 isanchored, the other end 2.16of spring 213 being received in a groove 217along the edge of valve plate 210. Movement of valve 210 by 'spring 213is limited by recess 21751 in the edge of valve 210 abutting againstspacer 21S around bolt 218e passingbetween plates 202 and 203. Mountedon a protruding portion 219 of valve plate 210 by means of bolts 210a isa valve `shutter 220 having passages 221 and 221a (Fig. 32) leading frominsetshutter surface 222 to the atmosphere through a threaded portion223 which receives a screw 224ohaving a tapered end 224e protruding intothe passage 221g. Ihe juncture of tapered end 224a 'and the threadedportion of screw 224 forms a shoulder 240. Mounted on the top of theflange portion 208a of member 208 by means of two of the bolts 204 is asuction cup bracket 226 having two upstruck anges 227 at the endsthereof, to one of which is adjustably mounted by means of a threadedstud 228 a suction cup 229. Pivotally mounted between the two anges 202and 203 by means of pin 230:1 is a pawl 230 spring biased by means ofspring 231a, which is supported by pins 204a and one of the bolts 204,so that when valve plate 210 is manually pivoted about its pivot 204 ina counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 29 against the force ofspring 213 until the shutter surface 222 of shutter 220 is pressedtightly against the edges of suction cup 229 to `spread the same, asshown in Figs. 30 and 32, such pawl 230 is forced into latchingengagement with a shoulder 231 of valve plate 210 to positively maintainvalve plate 210 in such position, with aperture 212 of valve plate 210aligned with apertures 206 and 207 so that a vacuum is produced instripper 125. Attached to the bottom of pin 230a is a throw out arm 232which, when rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 30,forces pawl 230 out of engagement with shoulder 231 against the force ofspring 23151, whereby spring 213 causes valve plate 210 to moveclockwise as viewed in Fig. 31, causing suction cup'229 to expandslightly as shown in Fig. 3l so that the space between the surface 222and the edges of suction cup 229 is increased in Volume, thereby causinga suction insuch space which is greater than the force of spring 213 andwhich prevents movement of plate 210 to its closed position and `therebymaintains aperture 212 aligned with apertures 206 and 207 so that avacuum `remains in the strippen This slight movement of the plate 210and the resultant expansion of cup 229 moves shoulder 231 suciently, asshown in Fig. 31, so that pawl 230 is no longer in a position in whichit can engage shoulder 23'1. As soon as a suction is created within thespace betweentthe edges of cup 229 and the shutter face 222, air begins`to leak between the threads of screw 224 and threaded aperture 223through passageways 221a and 221 into such space until the pressurewithin such space is neutralized suiiciently so that spring 213 forcesvalve plate 210 to the closed position shown in Fig. 29 with the solidblocking portion 211 of Valve plate 210 sealing of aperture 206 from 207and the interior of the stripper is cut off from the source of vacuum.The suction between space 222 and the edges of suction cup 229, as shownin Fig. 31, maintains valve 210 in an open position from the time thatpawl 231 is deactuated and a suction is built up in such chamber until asucient amount of air has leaked into the chamber to reduce such suctionsufficiently so that the force asserted on valve plate 210 by spring 213pulls surface 222 away from contact with the edges of cup 229, whereuponvalve plate 210is closed and the vacuum is shut oif from the stripper..A If screw 224 is screwed inwardly until ledge 240 of such screwisjammed tightly against shoulder 241 at the juncture of passages 221aand 223 no air at all will pass into the chamber formed by surface 222and the edges of 229. By adjusting the screw 224 outwardly from thispoint the time which it takes for the pressure in the chamber betweensurface 222 and the edges of cup' 229 to reach that amount which will`permit release of valve plate 210 can be varied as desired.

:In conventional strippers the vacuum in the stripper is either shut olfby hand or automatically, at the termination of the traverse of thestripper. The card cylinder nozzle 125:1 in sucking up waste bers fromthe card cylin der 10, ordinarily leaves a small amount of fibers on theadvance side of the nozzle, which fibers cannot be carried under thecard cylinder nozzle because they are too far away therefrom to besucked up thereby. Consequently such fibers remain on the card cylinderand are taken up by the doifer cylinder in the form of a heavy ribbon offibers. These ribbons are removed by the doffer nozzle 125b which, inaccordance with conventional strippers, lags sufficiently behind thecylinder nozzle to make this possible. When the vacuum is turned off atthe time the stripper reaches the end of its traverse, as willconventional strippers, the ribbons formed at the` end of the cardcylinder when the card cylinder nozzle reaches the end of its traverseare not cleaned off the doffer cylinder and eventually are carried intothe web, causing undesirable thick spots and faulty carding. By means ofapplicants vacuum timing device the vacuum remains on for apredetermined time after the card cylinder nozzle 125:1 has reached theend of its traverse to assure that any ribbons passing through to thedofer are sucked. into the doffer nozzle 125b so that the strippingoperation is properly completed. However, the Vacuum cannot be kept onafter the take olf rollers are automatically actuated as describedabove.

When the stripper 125 is manually moved to its starting position, shownin full lines in Fig. 3, surface 222 of shutter 220 is forced by handfrom the position shown in Figs. 27 and 29 against the edges of suctioncup 229 as shown in Fig. 30, thereby forcing valve plate 210 to rotatein a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 29, until pawl 230engages shoulder 231, whereupon the valve plate 210 is locked into openposition and a vacuum is produced in the stripper. The strippingoperation is then commenced.

. During the stripping operation after the stripper 125 passes guidey139, as described above, thereby causing gears 20'and 21 to mesh andactuating the timer mechanism for the take off and calender rolls, thestripper continues to move to the left as viewed in Fig. 3, until lever232 contacts stop button 263 which is adjustably mounted by means ofthreaded portion 264 and nut 265:1 to a bracket 265 mounted on thetraverse bracket 121. This occurs justbefore the pawl 134g (Fig. 3) isknocked out of engagement with screw 124 by contact with a stop member266 and the stripper reaches the end of its traverse (as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 3).

When lever 232 strikes against button 263 further tra- Verse of thestripper causes clockwise pivotal movement of pawl 230 out of engagementwith shoulder 231 against the force of spring 231a, whereupon the forceof spring 213 causes plate valve 210 to pivot slightly in a clockwisedirection as viewed in Fig. 31 until a vacuum is produced in the chamberbetween surface 222 and the edges of suction cup 229 whereby pivotalmovement of plate 210 to closed position is prevented. At this time thev parts of the apparatus are in the position shown in Fig. 3l.

This initiates the travel of air through passages 221 and 221a until thesuction is neutralized whereupon spring 213 forces valve 210 to a closedposition, as shown in Fig. 29. Screw 224 is set so that valve 210remains in open position for a suicient length of time after the cardcylinder nozzle 125a` has reached the end of its traverse so that thedoffer nozzle 125b picks up any ribbons f5 which are on the cylinderwhen the cylinder nozzle reaches the end of its traverse.

The surface speed of rolls 14 and 15 should be substantially the sameand should be at least as great as the peripheral speed of the doifercylinder. Preferably the peripheral speed of rolls 14 and 15 are greaterthan the peripheral speed of the doffer to assure the proper removal ofthe carded stock from the doffer cylinder.

The peripheral'speed of calender rolls 17 and 18 are the same and shouldbe greater than the peripheral speed of the take olf rolls 14 and 15 toassure that there will be no sagging of the web between the take olfrolls and calender rolls.

With the use of middling cotton stock (a stock used by a large majorityof the United States manufacturers) comprised essentially vof fibersranging in relaxed length of from to 1%6 and a doifer cylinder diameterof 27% inches and a doffer cylinder speed of 8 rpm. (doiier cylindersurface speed of 697.432 inches per minute and doifer cylinderproduction of 697.432 inches of length of web per minute) and with theuse of a lower roll having a diameter of 1% inches and an upper rollhaving a diameter of Vs inch, a suitable production of the upper andlower rolls is 723 inches of length of web per minute (lower and upperroll surface speed of 723 inches per minute) and a suitable productionof the calender rolls (using calender rolls having diameters of 3.9inches) is 752.64 inches of lengthV of web per minute (calender rollsurface speed of 752.64 inches per minute) so that the draft between thedoffer cylinder and the take oi lrolls is approximately 25.568 inches oflength of web per minute and the draft between the take off rolls andthe calender rolls is approximately 29.64 inches of length of web perminute.

The take olf rolls 14 and 15 are preferablymade of highly polished steelbut may be made of any material, such as hard rubber, plastic, etc.which will present a smooth surface and which will not tend to cause theliber to adhere thereto and consequently to wrap itself therearound.

The size of the lower roll 15 is not critical and may be Varied asdesired. Preferably it is of greater diameter than the upper roll 14. Y

The diameter of the upper roll 14 should be s'uch that with the use of alower roll and doier cylinder of any particular size, thecircumferential'distance between the portion a (Figs. ll to 13) of suchupper roll which is closest to the doifer cylinder and the portion b ofsuch upper roll which is closest to the bottom roll is less than about0.875 inch, which, in the case of cotton carding, is approximately theshorest length of fibers, which pass through the carding machine andinto the web removed from the dofier cylinder, in substantial numbers.However, an upper roll having a diameter wherein such circumferentialdistance is less than about 0.8054 inch is the preferred embodiment.

While I am not sure l now believe that the reason why rolls `of suchsizes are operative is:

During normal operation of the take off rolls 14 and 15 as shown in Fig.ll, it is believed that carded stock 30? on the doffer cylinder and web304 removed from the doifer cylinder are in the position as shown inFig. ll. In other words, the stock 300V is pulled off the dotfer by therolls 14 and 15 due to the draft thereof with relation to the doffercylinder. The web being removed from the dofer cylinder 'is continuouswith the carded stock on the doffer cylinder. After the feed roll, takeoff rolls and calender rolls are stopped and held stationary, asdescribed above by throwing out handle 95, the continued rotation of thedoffer 'breaks the web at 3:04a and the carded stock 300 on the doercylinder continues to Vrotate with the dotfer cylinder, as shown in Fig.l2. Web 304 breaks at 30411 because the fibers on the doffer cylinder,as it rotates, pull away; from the 4fibers gripped and held stationary'by the, Uiteif the.

take olf rolls. These gripped fibers comprise the end fibers of thebroken end 304a of web 304 and the free ends thereof or other fibers soentwined therewith so as not to pull away therefrom are believedto bedragged, as shown, by contact with the rotating periphery of cardedstock on the doifer cylinder to a point on such periphery opposite toand slightly beyond the portion Va of upper roll 14 which is closest tothe dofer cylinder. Consequently these end or entwined fibers remain orare held between upper roll 14 and the doffer cylinder. Many of the freeends of these end or entwined fibers are carried upwardly beyond theportion a of upper roll 14. These end `or entwined fibers form a layerof fibers along the periphery of the carded stock. In other words, thecontinued rotation of the doffer causes the carded stock 300 thereon tohave a combing effect upon the end or entwined fibers held by the twotake off rolls causing them to be pulled upwardly around the peripheryof the carded stock as shown in Fig. l2 and to be maintained in suchposition. After the stripping operation, the clean doifer (Fig. 13)continues to comb the bers held by the take oif rolls and hold them inthe position shown. After the feed roll is reactivated, as aforesaid, byengagement of miter gears 20 and 21 but before the take off rolls areactuated by the timing mechanism, card stock builds up on the surface ofthe doer cylinder and contacts the end fibers which are held by the takeoff rolls in the same manner as the old card stock (Fig. l2).

When the take oif rolls are actuated by the timing mechanism, theinitial rotation of the upper roll causes the free ends fof the end orentwined tibers which are gripped between the upper and lower rolls andwhich form a layer upon the periphery of the fresh stock, together withthe fresh carded stock which is contacting the fibers at that time, tobe peeled off as a single web which passes between the upper and lowerrolls and continues on to the calender rolls. The fact that the ends ofthe fibers held by the take ioif rolls are peeled off together as alayer with the carded stock causes them to intermingle and form acontinuous bond.

Because the circumferential distance of the upper roll between theportion a thereof closest to the doter roll and the portion b thereofclosest to the lower roll is smaller than the shortest length of thefibers present in substantial numbers in the web, the shorter fiberswhich are beginning to pass, and many of the larger fibers which havealready in part passed, between the rolls 14 and 15 when the rolls arestopped, are whipped upwardly by contact with the periphery of thecarded stock, as shown in Fig. l2, to a point adjacent to and beyondportion a of the roll 14, thereby assuring that a substantial portion ofsuch fibers will form a layer'upon a portion of the periphery of thedoffer stock adjacent portion a of roll 14 and hence later will bepeeled with the newly formed carded stock off from the dofer cylinder bythe upper roll when the rolls are actuated again. If the circumferentialdistance A-B is too large then the shorter fibers which are justbeginning to pass through the bite of the take off rolls when said rollsare stopped and most of the longer fibers which have 1n part passedthrough the bite of said rolls to not extend to and beyond the portion aof roller 14 and consequently do not form alayer around such peripherywhich will peel oif with the carded stock when the take off rolls'arereactuated. n

Thus, in summary, it is believed that when the clrcumferential distancea-b is selected in accordance with the present invention (not greaterthan about 0.875 inch and preferably not greater than about 0.8054inch), the apparatus works satisfactorily with middling cotton stock(having relaxed Jriber lengths essentially from 0.875 inch to 11,46inch), the free ends of the gripped bers are dragged toV and beyond apoint on the periphery of the cardstock adjacent the portion a of theupper roll and actually form a layerralong the outer periphery of thecard stock, although such layer is held stationary whereas the remainderof the card stock rotates with the dolfer. It is believed that becauseof this layer eiect, the card stock and the gripped fibers areintimately intermingled when the take olf rolls are actuated. When suchcircumferential distance a--b is greater, it is believed that this layereffect is not as well obtained and consequently there is not such aclose intermingling of the card stock and the held fibers.

The proper distance a-b can be determined in any particular case inaccordance with the following diagram and formula:

C=center of axis of rotation of dolfer cylinder D=center of axis ofrotation of upper roll Ezcenter of axis of rotation of lower rolle=distance between C and D (radius of doifer cylinder -l-radius of upperroll-I-distance between doffer cylinder and upper roll) c=distancebetween D and E (radius of upper roll-l-radius of lower roll) d=distancebetween C and E (radius ofl doifer cylinder -l-radius of lowerroll-l-distance between doffer cylinder and lower roll) f=line passingthrough D which is perpendicular to the line d..

X :angle formed by theintersection of lines e and d.

Y=angle formed by the intersection of lines d and c.

Z=angle formed by the intersection of lines c and e.

O gZX Circumference lof upper :circumferential distance a-b (Fig. 11)around Jche circumference of roll 14 For example, with a doier Vcylinderhaving a diameter of 27%r inches, a lower roll having a diameter of 1.25inches, an upper roll having a 7/8 inch diameter, a distance between thedoier cylinder and upper roll of .042 inch, a distance between the doiercylinder and lower roll of 1 8 %6", the circumferential distance a--b(Fig. 11) of upper roll 14 may be computed as follows:

14.5625@ 14.35451.o625 14.3545)(3) 1.06am) Xfrf COS XO 14.3173

10min' 360 Circumferential rdistance a-b on upper roll 141-: 28054 Thedistance a-b of upper roll 14 depends onthe diameter of the doiercylinder, the diameter of the lower roll, the diameter of the upperroll, the distance between the upper roll and the doffer cylinder andthe distance between the lower roll and the doifer cylinder.

With the use of conventional doifer cylinders, a lower roll having adiameter in the neighborhood of l to 2 inches and the proper distancesbetween the doler cylinder and the take olf rolls, as described below,the circumferential distance a-b will be equal to a little more than 1Aof the circumference of the upper roll which in the case of a roll4having a diameter of-VS inch is equal to 0.687 inch.

Not only does the use of an arrangement whereinsthe distance a-b is lessthan about V0.875 inch (preferably about 0.8054 inch), produce anexcellent bond between the old web and fresh bers upon completion of astripping operation, but the rolls elfectively remove carded stock fromthe doffer cylinder when the actuation thereof is initiated during theinitial starting up of the carding machine when there'is no broken webend gripped by the rolls. In other words when the carding machine isinitially started up and stock is built up on the doffer cylinder in theproper amount and the take olf rolls are actuated, removal of stock inthe form of a satisfactory web is immediately initiated. With anarrangement having a distance a-b greater than about 0.875 inch,actuation of the take olf rolls under such conditions does not remove asatisfactory web.

It has been found that an upper roll having a diameter not greater thanabout "M3 of an inch is very satisfactory with conventional doifercylinders (which have a diameter of about 27% inch).

The distance of the lower roll from the doifer cylinder is not criticalso long as it is not so great that the draft therebetween and the doffercylinder will cause breakage of the web as it is pulled olf the doffercylinder and so long as it is not so small that the lower roll pressesthe doler stock into the doier cylinder. With the use of doier, take oitrolls and calender rolls of the diameter and speed referred to above andwith the use of cotton middling stock as referred to above, it has beenfound that a distance of .062 of an inch between the doler and the lowerroll gives satisfactory results.

The upper roll should be closer to the doifer than the lower roll butnot so close as to contact the doier stock with any substantial pressurewhile the take off rollsare

